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Corky's Corner Summer 2007 by Corky Heitman FS-6 Hello Big Bird Lovers, Well, we survived another Winter, and this glorious time of year that we call "Flying Season", and that the civilians out there call "Spring" is here. I've just returned (not that it's very far to go for me...) from the Toledo Weak Signals Conference. As usual, I got to see a lot of old friends, and I do mean "old". This is the 53rd year for the big show in Toledo. It's been twenty-seven years since the IMAA was founded at Toledo. My point about these founding dates is that, by and large, this is a fairly "old" hobby. Look around at your flying field, or at your club meetings. Gray hair is pretty much the rule. I think this is something that we need to work seriously to change. And the change needs to come from what I call.... Virtual versus Reality Kids today live in what the marketing types call a "virtual world". Most everything for them is an electronic simulation, of one sort or another. Their recreation is in video games, that they play on the family television set (or more likely on the TV set in their bedroom). Or they play video games on little, portable widgets that they carry in their pocket or backpack. Corky's Corner Columns   • Summer 2004   • Fall 2004   • Winter 2004   • Spring 2005   • Summer 2005   • Fall 2005   • Winter 2005   • Spring 2006   • Summer 2006   • Fall 2006   • Winter 2006   • Spring 2007   • Summer 2007   • Fall 2007   • Local pilot takes ride of his life   • Summer 2009   • Fall 2009 Instead of communicating by talking to each other, they "text message", or talk on their cell phones. Their music, and movies are all downloaded from the Internet, and played through little "plug in your ear" headsets, that block out everything else in the outside world. Even their school work has become more and more "virtual." Instead of digging through stacks of books at the library, kids now "Google" for information, and surf from website to website... all within the "virtual" world provided by another electronic box. Now I am not saying that there's anything wrong with all of this... just that I believe that all of this "Virtual" stuff needs to be supplemented with some "Reality". And that is where our R/C hobby comes in. Get a kid involved in flying a big bird, and immediately, everything becomes very REAL. Our organization is called the International Miniature Aircraft Association. Take note of that word "Miniature". The only difference between our model aircraft, and a full size one, is size. We have to live within the exact same laws of physics, rules of aerodynamics, and constraints of weather and micro-meteorology as the full size aircraft do. Weight and balance, power to weight ratios, wing loading, incidence, and thrust lines all work exactly the same way. And, just like full size aircraft, inattention to details brings about the same disastrous results. The only difference is that, normally, nobody is injured or dies when one of ours crashes. We’re run this picture before, but it REALLY shows what Corky is talking about. District IV Director Bill Hamby is holding the umbrella, and teaching young Aaron Hayes some new maneuvers. YOU can do the same! From building and flying an R/C model, a young person learns a lot about the REAL world (and probably isn't even really aware that they're learning.) Mechanics, structural engineering, aerodynamics, adhesives, materials physics, internal combustion engines... the list goes on and on. And all of these are very real, hands-on skills and knowledge, that transfer directly to other sciences and engineering disciplines. And beyond the technical knowledge base, our hobby gives a young person a real sense of achievement, and builds self-confidence. Success in our hobby cannot be bought or borrowed. It has to be earned. We've all seen examples like the Air Force Major, who has thousands of hours in some super-whazoozy jet bomber.... who struggles to learn to fly an R/C model. Or the businessman who comes to the flying field in a Rolls-Royce Cornice... and clobbers a plane a week for months on end, because he believes that he can buy success. For all of these reasons, I'm totally dedicated to recruiting as many young people into our hobby as possible. But I need your help. You can reach out, in your own neighborhood, and in your own community, and find the young people who would like to get involved. IT doesn't have to be expensive. How about a club project to build six of Brian Wattie's Phony Fokker Einduckkers. These corrugated cardboard planes can be built (with engine) for something like $150... and they fly great. Find some kids (and get their Dad's involved as well)... and teach them to fly. It will be great for the kids, it will be great for our hobby and organization, and it will be great for you! That sounds like a Win - Win - Win situation to me! Fly Safe! –Corky Web site by DeTray Associates www.DeTray.com